UPDATE ON THE NATIONAL INDEPENDENCE TENNIS TOURNAMENT 2020

02/20/2020

The National Independence Tennis Tournament has been very successful and competitive so far with representation from five tennis academies on island namely; Tigers Inflow Tennis Academy head coach Sirsean Arlain, VL Tennis Academy head coach Vernon Lewis, Blanchard's Tennis Academy head coach Ron Blanchard, Acers Tennis Academy head coach Scyla Murray and the Total Tennis Club head coach Dean White battling it out for the different titles in the tournament.

In the red ball category we saw a record of sixteen competitive under 10s who continuously challenged each other in all matches played. They competed in a round robin draw with the top two performers advancing to the main draw. Reggie Weeks, Axel George, Phoebe O'carrolls and Ethan John were the four semi-finalists playing in a best of three super tie breaks. The final spots was claimed by Axel George and Reggie Weeks with Weeks winning defeating George 10-7 10-5.

In the orange ball category there were twelve participants with outstanding performances from Jordyn Bishamber, Sanjay Lake, Kyle Michel-Francois and Andretti George who were the semi-finalist. George defeated Bishamber 6-2 and Lake defeated Michel-Francois 6-4. Andretti George and Sanjay Lake will play the final on Friday to determine the champion. In doubles Sanjay Lake teamed up with Jordyn Bishamber to defeat Dante Joseph and Reggie Weeks in a very close match 7-5.

The green ball category has been the most exciting so far with the crowd favorites Jaelyn Henry and Ahlil Cyril competition for the championship trophy. Cyril defeated Henry in straight sets 5-3 4-2 and was declared champion by chair umpire Ricardo Francois. There were eight registered players in that category.

Ahlil Cyril also claimed boys 12s the title when he defeated Nathanael Charles 4-0 4-0 and Peter Murray 4-0 4-0. The girls 12 & under championship will be decided on Friday with Amara Jn. Marie and Amia Jn. Marie vying for the title.

Alysa Ellitott is the champion of the girls 14s as after she defeated Latoya Murray in straights sets 6-1 6-1. In the boys 14s Jonas Sylvester has been dominating defeating Jiadyn Mathew and Xhan Riviere in straight sets 4-0 4-0.

It looks like Petterson George will seize the boys16s title this year after he defeated Aaron Gerald in straight sets and Arden Rosemond by default. He plays Corey Charles today to decide his final position. The girls 16s semi-final is on today with Alysa Elliott taking on Jeanik Blanchard and Iyana Paul taking on Latoya Murray.

Aviona Edmund and Iyana Paul will be competing on centre court today for the girls 18s title. Paul defeated Navit Isaac in the semis in straight sets 6-2 6-4, Edmund on the other hand defeated Nadjema Morille in straights sets to secure her spot in the final.

Top seed of the womens open draw Iesha Emile got knocked out first round by junior u14 player Alysa Elliott in straight sets 6-0 7-5. Ricardo Francois also the top seed in the mens' suffered the same fate losing to junior tennis player Joey Angeloni in straight sets 6-0 6-0. Angeloni advances to the semis where he will be facing Hamlet Phillip for his chance at the title. On the other half of the men's draw we saw junior player Corey Charles succumbing to Ron Blanchard who annihilated him in straight sets 6-0 6-0. Blanchard will be facing Ajaunie Scott in the semi-final for his chance at the title.